TTC 1st child 35+ (Please spoiler any PG news/announcements).

[Lady H]

Hello All, what Purple said, ditto (I know such a lazy cheat)!

Hope you are all well and nearly over hump day. to you all. It sounds like a few of us are having a down week, me included. What comes after a down...an up (I hope)!

Starting to feel like I am coming down with something, I am surrounded by coughs and colds at work so inevitable I guess. However it's bad timing (is there ever good) as I am delivering 2 days of training from tomorrow at work. Hope it comes to nothing as I don't want to take anything in case the miracle happened and I ovulated Monday.

Think we are due a bit of

 

[Dwrgi]

Hello all,

I'm 35 and TTC. I have a son who's almost 13 from my first marriage, but am now with the love of my life and going for our own little squad. We just finished our first cycle of trying, but AF reared her ugly head. We're all ready for take 2 this month. Wish us luck!!

Hi Soccer-I don't know if you are aware, but this is a thread for those TTC their first child. You might find more help and support on a thread that is more relevant to you.

Good luck with trying-hope your journey is short and sweet!

 

[froliky2011]

Glad you all liked "Front Row" thing.

Purple - I love the group hug icon! Awesome! How are you feeling? Still sick? When did you test positive?

LilSluz - Wow! You are strong! Today, I just threw in the white towel Holy Smokes Lady! DH better be in charge of dinner and dishes! Take it easy tonight. I hope the hormones chill.

Dwrgi - When is transfer? Thanks for the Front Row, I need to get some popcorn now. (corny, I know)

Dashka - Thanks! Sometimes it's so hard not to feel guilty for taking time to nurture ourselves and take it easy on ourselves, but it is necessary. I am not a machine, I am a late 30s lady who feels like she'll go crazy if she's not pregnant a.s.a.p. I am glad you and AD had a good day. We're almost to the finish line....

Arsy - I love the bat icon too! Lol! We're almost there! Hey, where in Scandinavia do you live? What is it like there?

Butterfly - It's important to continue having hope. I know it's so challenging sometimes (a lot of times), but it is necessary not to give up.

LadyH - Almost there too! Lots of verdicts coming up.

Never - The joys of pregnancy!

Missy - I don't know you but read your journal and am so impressed with all the conscious changes you made to prepare for the most healthy pregnancy. Much admiration from muah!

Carol - another Prego lady...

Hi to everyone else....Tigerlily, Twinkle, Sky, Northstar and anyone else I missed.

Thanks for permitting me to be immature. Lol!

 

[Dwrgi]

Hi girls, how are you all! Purely selfish post, I'm afraid, but thoughts welcome if there is anybody out there! Helllloooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

Clinic just rang and there are three strong embies: 10, 8 and 7 cell, with one lagging behind at 4. As I have said that I want to have three put back in, they'd rather do that today than wait until Saturday. If I was vehemently against twins, then they'd wait for Sat but I don't mind if I do have twins (I just want to have a baby, or two, and be a mummy). Am I doing the right thing?? Aaaargh, doubts are creeping in.

Can I have your thoughts please?

Of course, with this unpredictable game, we might end up with zed, zero, nada, nil, zilch.

Got to be out this door in half an hour! Yikes.

Big to everybody!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

[caroleb73]

Hi girls, how are you all! Purely selfish post, I'm afraid, but thoughts welcome if there is anybody out there! Helllloooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

Clinic just rang and there are three strong embies: 10, 8 and 7 cell, with one lagging behind at 4. As I have said that I want to have three put back in, they'd rather do that today than wait until Saturday. If I was vehemently against twins, then they'd wait for Sat but I don't mind if I do have twins (I just want to have a baby, or two, and be a mummy). Am I doing the right thing?? Aaaargh, doubts are creeping in.

Can I have your thoughts please?

Of course, with this unpredictable game, we might end up with zed, zero, nada, nil, zilch.

Got to be out this door in half an hour! Yikes.

Big to everybody!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Hey Dwrgi

I would go for them popping them back in today, reason being from my experience they let me go to blasto stage as I had 8 eggs fertilize and progressing well but out of those 8 only 4 made it to blasto stage as it is much harder to mimic the environment of the body in the lab. Going to day 5 is a big risk whereas if you pop all 3 in today I believe you have a greater chance of getting 1 or 2 to continue growing and implant. You can't beat the natural environent of the womb.

Good luck and let is know what you decide to do and btw transfer is a breeze so go with the flow x x x

 

[Dwrgi]

Hi girls, how are you all! Purely selfish post, I'm afraid, but thoughts welcome if there is anybody out there! Helllloooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

Clinic just rang and there are three strong embies: 10, 8 and 7 cell, with one lagging behind at 4. As I have said that I want to have three put back in, they'd rather do that today than wait until Saturday. If I was vehemently against twins, then they'd wait for Sat but I don't mind if I do have twins (I just want to have a baby, or two, and be a mummy). Am I doing the right thing?? Aaaargh, doubts are creeping in.

Can I have your thoughts please?

Of course, with this unpredictable game, we might end up with zed, zero, nada, nil, zilch.

Got to be out this door in half an hour! Yikes.

Big to everybody!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Hey Dwrgi

I would go for them popping them back in today, reason being from my experience they let me go to blasto stage as I had 8 eggs fertilize and progressing well but out of those 8 only 4 made it to blasto stage as it is much harder to mimic the environment of the body in the lab. Going to day 5 is a big risk whereas if you pop all 3 in today I believe you have a greater chance of getting 1 or 2 to continue growing and implant. You can't beat the natural environent of the womb.

Good luck and let is know what you decide to do and btw transfer is a breeze so go with the flow x x x

Thank you so much Carole, this has reassured me so much. Yes, we're going to go for three in today! Yikes!!! Bit anxious about the comfortably full bladder I'm supposed to have! Isn't that a contradiction in terms: comfortable and full!? Plus, I have the weakest bladder known to man-what if I pee over the consultant!!??

Thanks x million for this, you've really helped me! xxxxx

 

[LilSluz]

Hi girls, how are you all! Purely selfish post, I'm afraid, but thoughts welcome if there is anybody out there! Helllloooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

Clinic just rang and there are three strong embies: 10, 8 and 7 cell, with one lagging behind at 4. As I have said that I want to have three put back in, they'd rather do that today than wait until Saturday. If I was vehemently against twins, then they'd wait for Sat but I don't mind if I do have twins (I just want to have a baby, or two, and be a mummy). Am I doing the right thing?? Aaaargh, doubts are creeping in.

Can I have your thoughts please?

Of course, with this unpredictable game, we might end up with zed, zero, nada, nil, zilch.

Got to be out this door in half an hour! Yikes.

Big to everybody!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

YES, today! Good Luck! YAYYYYYY!

 

[caroleb73]

Hi girls, how are you all! Purely selfish post, I'm afraid, but thoughts welcome if there is anybody out there! Helllloooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

Clinic just rang and there are three strong embies: 10, 8 and 7 cell, with one lagging behind at 4. As I have said that I want to have three put back in, they'd rather do that today than wait until Saturday. If I was vehemently against twins, then they'd wait for Sat but I don't mind if I do have twins (I just want to have a baby, or two, and be a mummy). Am I doing the right thing?? Aaaargh, doubts are creeping in.

Can I have your thoughts please?

Of course, with this unpredictable game, we might end up with zed, zero, nada, nil, zilch.

Got to be out this door in half an hour! Yikes.

Big to everybody!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Hey Dwrgi

I would go for them popping them back in today, reason being from my experience they let me go to blasto stage as I had 8 eggs fertilize and progressing well but out of those 8 only 4 made it to blasto stage as it is much harder to mimic the environment of the body in the lab. Going to day 5 is a big risk whereas if you pop all 3 in today I believe you have a greater chance of getting 1 or 2 to continue growing and implant. You can't beat the natural environent of the womb.

Good luck and let is know what you decide to do and btw transfer is a breeze so go with the flow x x x

Thank you so much Carole, this has reassured me so much. Yes, we're going to go for three in today! Yikes!!! Bit anxious about the comfortably full bladder I'm supposed to have! Isn't that a contradiction in terms: comfortable and full!? Plus, I have the weakest bladder known to man-what if I pee over the consultant!!??

Thanks x million for this, you've really helped me! xxxxx

Hahahah love it, I was scared about this too but I basically drank enough for them to be happy with my bladder but not completely full where I needed to pee right there ans then. The way I look at it is the ones of us who have done assisted cycles have dropped our pants to so many DR's and nurses we really don't have a great deal of modesty left. I used to be quite shy about these sorts of things before TTC and now I could drop my pants to any medical staff quite easily without a hint of embarrassment, not sure if that is a good thing or not but hey

Just think that in 2 weeks time you could be joining me in the fat club, keep that thought in your mind and you will be just fine

 

[Neversaynever]

Dwrgi...sorry short reply I'm at work being naughty... and hope those blasties snuggle in tightly

Xxx

 

[dashka]

Dwrgi - I agree with Carole - you can't beat the environment of the womb! So glad you are doing it TODAY!!!! Awesome!!!! xoxoxo May they get all comfy womfy in there..

 

[HappyAuntie]

Hi girls, how are you all! Purely selfish post, I'm afraid, but thoughts welcome if there is anybody out there! Helllloooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

Clinic just rang and there are three strong embies: 10, 8 and 7 cell, with one lagging behind at 4. As I have said that I want to have three put back in, they'd rather do that today than wait until Saturday. If I was vehemently against twins, then they'd wait for Sat but I don't mind if I do have twins (I just want to have a baby, or two, and be a mummy). Am I doing the right thing?? Aaaargh, doubts are creeping in.

Can I have your thoughts please?

Of course, with this unpredictable game, we might end up with zed, zero, nada, nil, zilch.

Got to be out this door in half an hour! Yikes.

Big to everybody!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

First off, WOOOO HOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!! It's SO awesome to actually have choices!!!!!!

Now, I'm going to play devil's advocate a little....

In utero, an embryo doesn't actually reach the uterus and begin implantation until 6-8 days after fertilization, which means that by going to blast and transferring the embryos into the uterus on day 5, blast transfer actually more closely mimics the natural process. But as it's a newer procedure, not all labs are skilled at culturing to blast. Not all labs are created equal, just as not all drs are created equal. If the lab you're using hasn't gotten the 5-day culture down pat, then you're better off doing a day-3 transfer.

The other thing about blast transfer is that, whether in the natural process or in the lab, every single embryo that results in pregnancy must progress through the blastocyst stage anyway... the reason fewer embryos survive to day 5 in the lab has a lot to do with the fact that even in the youngest, healthiest couple, roughly 50% of human embryos have the wrong number of chromosomes and will never make it to blast stage and would never result in pregnancy, no matter whether they grew in vivo or in vitro. The thinking is that only the strongest, healthiest, heartiest embryos survive to day 5 in vitro, so they have a much better chance of resulting in pregnancy than a good-looking day-3 embryo.

All that said...

You have to do what is right for YOU, and I think your clinic's advice is spot-on.

My reasons for doing a blast transfer are that it has a significantly higher pregnancy rate than a day-3 transfer with a lower rate of multiples. Since you are ok with the possibility of twins, go ahead and put all three back today. DH and I would like to avoid multiples if we can (obviously if we get twins we'd make it work, we just know everything would be easier with one! ), so for us, even at day 3 we would only put back two. This is why the decision of how many to transfer literally made me break out in hives.

 

[purplelou]

Ohhhh Dwrgi - I don't how I missed all this!! good luck with the transfer, go embies go!! I hope the transfer goes smoothly and that you don't pee over LL (I really don't think you will or that he'd mind anyway! )

please let us know how you got on, Im thinking about you and hoping those embies are getting snuggled as I type this!

 

[Butterfly67]

Dwrgi, sorry have been offline most of this morning

But, putting 3 back in on day three sounds great to me, it is good as that will give you more of a chance for one of more to stick. But I don't know much about day3/5 chances but all that is clear is that you will have 3 embies - where you know the sperm has already met the egg and made friends so that has got to be a good chance of success hasn't it?

Anyway, have everything crossed for you. Will they keep the 4th one and see if it progresses to blasto and then freeze if needs be?

Massive hon xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

[purplelou]

Frolicky - I tried to post earlier but my computer froze (now I remember - that's how I missed all the last two pages )
I tested on 14dpo - and I have no symptoms at all when I tested - I only had symptoms at 6 weeks hope that helps ? xx

 

[Madeline]

Thks dwrgi, hopefully you are right and we might get somewhere this time fingers crossed anyway. I think I just presumed I would ovulate mid cycle and I thought my charting was showing me that but from now on I will definitely use the Ovulation test so we give it our best shot.

Madeline xx

 

[purplelou]

Madeline - I think (although I could be wrong) that ov tests catch the start of the luteal surge and that ovulation happens after that, and that luteal surges can vary between women and even between cycles, so you might find that ov tests and BBT are both showing you right results - the bbt tells you ov is done and the ov tests gives you advance warning it's coming

please someone if Im wrong - give me a kick!

 

[froliky2011]

Dwrgi - Good Luck!!! I am ignorant about transfers, but you and DH will make an informed decision given all the good information out there and from the ladies here! FX'd and You are an inspiration to me!

 

[Dwrgi]

Thanks everybody for your kind words and support! Have just got in-it took all morning as I had acupunture before and after ET and then they were running a bit late. Phew!

So, all three embies put back in. They are happy that, if there is no selection to be made (if you're under 40 in this country, you can only put two back in) that all three are back in there where they stand the best chance. The star of the show is a "perfect" 4/4 8 cell embie, with the ten cell one being second and third, the 7 cell. No fragmentation on any, and all symmetrical. They also hatched all three so that there wouldn't be any issue with harder embryo cells and not being able to get out. They will watch the fourth in the lab, and if it does develop, they may freeze it, but its chances are quite slim, I think. Grow, embie, grow!

ET was a breeze, and although everybody now in the whole clinic knows I have a weak bladder, as I told them all, at various stages, I didn't pee over anybody! TFFT!

OH was reluctant to accompany me, as he thought he'd faint, silly man, but I insisted, and he is so glad that he did, as he couldn't believe what he saw. You see the embies on the screen and then they are sucked up into a catheter, and the next, a flash of white in your womb and they're in!

Now, I know well enough that this doesn't mean a thing, really, as in two weeks time, none could have taken, but I have named them Twm, Sion and Cati (Twm Sion Cati was the Welsh Robin Hood) and shall speak to them often. I don't intend doing A THING over the next four days, either, so that's my flag in the ground.

Only thing, have to sort out whether my tenant has paid her rent yesterday, as she promised, otherwise I have to contact the agents to evict her. Grrrr. There is always something. Might do that tomorrow!

Love to you all and thanks so much for all your support!

Oh yes, anybody know anything about fresh pineapple for implantation? Acu said yay, nurse said nay..... Any ideas???


P.S. Sorry for hugely selfish post. xxxxxx

 

[Butterfly67]

Yay for Tom, Dick and Harry (sorry can't pronounce the Welsh ones)

Well the thing I have read about pineapple is that you should NOT drink pineapple juice of the flesh of the pineapple as this can bring on contractions in the uterus (although I have also read that it might take a few gallons to do this!) BUT - the pineapple core is the stuff that has the bromelein (sp?) which aids with implantation and that you should cut up the core into 5 pieces and eat one piece a day for 5 days after O (or ET or whatever etc).

This all could be complete bull though

Yes, now take it easy and I sure hope the tenant has paid her rent

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

[manuiti]

Dwrgi - probably too late here but the sound of doing it today sounds awesome!!!! Got everything crossed that whatever you decide to do results in a bfp for you!

Hellooooo to the newbies!!!

Afm, yesterday went pretty well, but I'll warn you, this'll probably be quite long, so you may want to get yourself comfortable...

Had my HSG, which didn't go to plan at all. She tried the first time to get the dye to go up me, but no, it decided to just all come out onto the table. So everything had to start from the beginning again, same again the second time - apparently my cervix is quite 'ample' in its bottom two thirds. So she then went for a balloon catheter to make it get up there. So not only did I have to endure 3 attempts, I also had the pleasure of being charged an extra $100 for the joy of having a balloon catheter shoved up me. I took your advice and took 400mg of ibuprofen before I set off for the clinic, but she also had an excellent hand and apart from the discomfort of the speculum, I didn't feel a thing. Which leads on to the fact my tubes were clear, which seems to be the main cause of people's pain. I have some adhesions on my left tube but that doesn't matter since we're going straight to IVF. There's no fluid in my tubes which is what my RE was worried about and he also said that my uterus is perfect for housing a baby. I bled a little after and then spotted for a few hours, had some very mild cramps and that was it.

Then I went to my RE and had my baseline scan and antral follicle count - 4 on the left - the side with the tube with adhesions - and 2 on the right. No wonder we weren't getting pregnant naturally! lol Not many, but exactly what was expected for someone diagnosed as a low responder. My RE reassured me that with my diagnosis, we're not looking for quantity here, only quality. I'm guessing he was happy with that as he then called his IVF programme coordinator and had her run across the city to come and see me and get me up and running on the programme.

So she turned up 90 minutes later, talked me through the IVF procedure, how to do my injections and then gave me my protocol. So I take my last BCP on the 19th, then on the second day of my period, start with Menopur for 5 or 6 days, then come in for a scan to see how I'm doing, when the RE's happy, I'll start also injecting Orgalutran. Then when my eggs get big enough, I take a day's break and then inject Ovidrel.

If all goes well (which it very well may not) she reckons they'll be doing egg harvesting on April 4th and then the transfer back on the 7th!!! Blimey, it all seems to be going very quickly now... we only met with the RE for the first time on March 5th! I know the RE had said with FSH levels as high as mine we don't have any time to waste, but I didn't realise just how much he seems to have meant that.

And then I got on a plane and flew home. Got to order my drugs today and I think I'm going to look at renting an apartment near the RE for a few weeks so I don't need to be spending so much with travel and hotels.

And if you actually got this far, big huge to you for bothering.

Wishing all of you on here lots and lots of